Watch Dame Lillard Hit The Studio With Raphael Saadiq To Record A Song

Adidas Originals teams up with Yours Truly for a very Oakland collaboration.

Yours Truly has shared a new video from their Songsfromscratch series, featuring R&B legend Raphael Saadiq and Dame D.O.L.L.A., better known to most as Portland Trailblazers superstar Damian Lilliard.

ADVERTISEMENT

In the clip, a collaboration with Adidas Originals, the two team up the create the reflective, piano-driven "Hero," with Lillard dropping off some beyond capable #bars: "Product of the slums, I'm polished, ain't no removin' that/ straight up outta Oakland where all the knowledge and shooters at," raps Dame, "Hoopin' and producing, now they saying that you can rap." The song follows a handful of Soundcloud releases and a freestyle sesh from Sway's Universe that went viral last year and helped establish his chops.

Saadiq and Lillard, both Oakland, CA natives, also talk about connecting through family ties back home, and about shedding the perception of dilettantism that's plagued other NBA stars who have dabbled in rap before him. “They say if you wanna play like an amateur you watch the amateurs," Saadiq says to open up the video, "If you wanna play like a pro you watch the pros.” Watch the full clip above and listen to the full song below.